The present invention relates to range hood motor housings, and more particularity to an improved motor housing design.
Range hoods are used above cooking surfaces to remove grease, common odors and hazardous gases created during the cooking process. Typically, range hoods for domestic use have a pair of motors horizontally installed in a motor housing within the hood body. Each motor drives a fan. The fans draw air from the cooking area below and force it through the motor housing to ventilation piping.
The motor housing defines an enclosure and is mountable within a further enclosure formed by the range hood body. The side walls of the motor housing are substantially vertical and when viewed from above or below appear to generally define a figure-eight pattern. The interior of the housing is separated into two substantially similar, separate chambers. Each chamber has an air inlet and a ventilation hole.
The heated air drawn from the cooking area generally contains some vaporized grease. As the air is forced through the motor housing, some of the grease condenses and is deposited on the inside surfaces of the motor housing. The motor housing is generally shaped to funnel the condensed grease to the bottom of the housing, eventually draining to an external grease cup. However, because the grease is airborne it is therefore important to ensure that the housing is completely sealed, to prevent the grease from escaping into the main range hood body. It is also desirable to be able to access the motor housing interior in order to clean it.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,537,988 shows a typical motor housing constructed using a single piece of metal, suspended from the underside of the range hood body and welded in place. Because the motor housing cannot be removed or disassembled, a person must clean the motor housing by reaching up through the fan opening. The person is working xe2x80x9cblindxe2x80x9d inside the housing, which makes it difficult to thoroughly clean. Also, a non-metallic motor housing cannot be welded in place on the range hood body. Use of a plastic motor housing, for example, would result in an imperfect seal between the motor housing and range hood thereby allowing grease to escape into the main range hood body.
Another type of motor housing is made from an upper section and a lower section, joined by welding the sides together. The entire housing and the motors are then connected to the range hood body. This construction is difficult and expensive, as it requires careful folding of the metal and expensive welding. Again, the housing cannot be disassembled and is therefore difficult to clean. Furthermore, this form of connection cannot be used for a plastic motor housing as folding and welding of plastic is not an option.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a range hood having a motor housing that may be snugly sealed, preventing condensed grease from escaping into the main range hood body.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a motor housing for a range hood that may be made of metallic or non-metallic material.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a motor housing for a range hood that can be easily disassembled and reassembled, to facilitate thorough cleaning and access to the motor housing interior.
Not all aspects of the invention necessarily address each of these objects. Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the description that follows.
According to the present invention there is provided a motor housing for a range hood. An upper section of the motor housing is snugly joined around its outer edge to a lower section of the motor housing, thereby forming the perimeter side surfaces of the motor housing. The upper and lower sections are snugly joined by inserting the top edge of the lower section into a gap in the lower rim of the top section.
In one aspect the invention comprises a motor housing for mounting within a range hood body used to exhaust gases from above a cooking surface. The motor housing comprises an upper section having a top surface and a first side perimeter surface extending away from the top surface. A lower section having a bottom surface and a second side perimeter surface extends away from the bottom surface. The edge of one of the first or second side perimeter surfaces has cooperating projections with a gap therebetween. The edge of the other of the first or second side perimeter surfaces is adapted to be inserted in the gap between the cooperating projections to be frictionally retained therein.
In another aspect, the first side perimeter surface has the cooperating projections and the edge of the second side perimeter surface is adapted to be inserted in the gap between the cooperating projections to be frictionally retained therein.
In yet a further aspect, the motor housing further comprises a plurality of protrusions on the second side perimeter surface. The protrusions may be spaced from the edge of the second side perimeter surface a maximum distance equal to the depth of the gap between the cooperating projections.
In yet a further aspect, the motor housing further comprises a reinforcing assembly. The reinforcing assembly may take the form of a reinforcing strap and a fastening means. The fastening means comprise a pair of aligned fasteners, one on each section of the motor housing, to which the reinforcing strap may be connected. The fasteners could take the form of a pin and cotter pin, a self-locking pin such as a snap-fit pin, or a bolt and nut. A plurality of reinforcing assemblies may be spaced about the perimeter side surface of the motor housing.
The foregoing was intended as a broad summary only and of only some of the aspects of the invention. It was not intended to define the limits or requirements of the invention. Other aspects of the invention will be appreciated by reference to the detailed description of the preferred embodiment and to the claims.